Latest news with #Viola'sHouse
CBS News
11-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
North Texas mother advocates for Black maternal health following daughter's death
A North Texas mother is speaking out for the first time about the death of her 26-year-old daughter last fall. Her daughter, Tierra Jackson, died suddenly last November, just days after giving birth to her third child. "There are a lot of sleepless nights," said Nicole Berryman, Tierra's mother. She said she's still struggling with the loss of Tierra. "All she did was smile," she said. "I would say she's the perfect mother." Berryman said her daughter was struggling with chest pain days after giving birth to her third child and was re-admitted to the hospital. Days later, she died from natural causes, according to the medical examiner. "I just keep reliving that day. Every time I open my eyes. I need answers," Berryman said. One of Tierra's four sisters, Alexus Morris, cried alongside her mother, admitting her sister's death has been a tragedy for the whole family. "It's like we were robbed, to say the least. We were robbed of our sister and her daughter's life," she told CBS News Texas. Tierra's death recently caught the attention of local organizations like Viola's House and United Way of Dallas, prompting a larger conversation about maternal healthcare for Black mothers. Viola's House led a panel discussion Tuesday in partnership with Parkland Hospital and United Way, addressing alarming trends, including a recent CDC report that shows Black women are 3.5 times more likely than White women to experience a pregnancy-related death. "I never heard so much about Black women passing away after having babies. We're giving our lives to bring a baby into the world," Berryman said. Tierra's three young children are now left to grow up without her, having to attend their mom's funeral just weeks before Christmas. The family hopes their story makes a difference for other mothers. "My life will never be the same," Berryman said with tears in her eyes. "Love your babies because mothers give their life."
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
South Dallas nonprofit working to improve maternal health
The Brief Black women in America are three and a half times more likely to suffer a pregnancy-related death – more than any other ethnic group. That stat is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's newly released maternal morbidity report. A group of stakeholders in Dallas will gather Tuesday to discuss the critical issue. DALLAS - There are people in Dallas who are trying to reverse a disturbing trend. Black women are statistically more likely to die from giving birth. By the numbers According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women in the United States are three and a half times more likely to die from giving birth than any other race. Big picture view The reasons are varied, beginning with poor prenatal care and ending with little postpartum help. One of the biggest concerns is hidden mental health issues during or after pregnancy. "They're not talking about what they're experiencing for it to be screened properly and treated. And even family members, right, are struggling to really understand 'How do I know?'" said Kaycee Polite, a counselor at the South Dallas nonprofit Viola's House. Polite said 75% of mental health issues are not addressed in Black women because of negative attitudes about mental health. "It's not something that people want to own or recognize as a struggle, right? So again, that's part of our commitment in the Black community to change that because we're doing our community a disservice by not providing that space," she said. Local perspective Viola's House is trying to change the stats and improve the outcomes. "I started this program over 13 years ago to help mothers who were pregnant and facing an unplanned pregnancy," said founder Thana Hickman. "We focus on the social determinates of health. A big piece of that wheel is mental health, along with housing, food, transportation, economic stability, and education." Hickman traveled to Washington D.C. last week to visit with members of the Trump administration and discuss the services and funding needed for Black maternal health. She hopes the change starts this week in Dallas with a Tuesday call to action conversation with United Way, Parkland Hospital, and others concerned about maternal health outcomes. "We need everybody to know that it's not just something that you're reading about but that it's happening right here in your backyard," she said. The Source FOX 4's Shaun Rabb gathered the information in this story from a CDC report on maternal morbidity and interviews with Kaycee Polite and Thana Hickman at Viola's House.
